Pedro Almodovar's Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown the musical

 

Pedro Almodovar's Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown the musical, Playhouse Theatre, 2015.

Cast: Tamsin Greig, Haydn Gwynne, Jerome Pradon, Anna Skellern, Willemijn Verkaik, Ricardo Afonso, Seline Hizli, Haydn Oakley, Marianne Benedict, Holly James, Michael Matus, Rebecca McKinnis, Sarah Moyle, Alastair Natkiel, Nuno Queimado, Dale Rapley.

Book: Jeffrey Lane

Music and lyrics: David Yazbek

Director: Bartlett Sher

Despite just having seen an amazing musical based on a book and a film these adaptations of things are my pet hate. I think I bought a cheap ticket in a New Year sale, tempted by Tamsin Greig. I'd forgotten that Haydn Gwynne was in it. I bet it was bright and colourful but I have no idea what the songs were like or if it was any good. I really must stop doing this kind of thing (I wish I'd put tags onto these posts so I could see how many things were adaptations in the hope that the facts would make me stop).

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Norwich Theatre Royal, 2015.

Cast: Michael Praed, Gary Wilmot, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Noel Sullivan, Phoebe Coupe, Carley Stenson, Emma Caffrey, Andy Conaghan, Soophia Foroughi, Jonny Godbold, Orla Gormley, Patrick Harper, Jordan Livesey, Regan Shepherd, Kevin Stephen-Jones, Katie Warsop, Jenny Wickham, Justin-Lee Jones, Lisa Mathieson, Andy Rees, Freya Rowley.

Book: Jeffery Lane

Music & lyrics: David Yazbek

Director: Jerry Mitchell

I liked the original film but I doubt I've seen it since it was first released. Similarly this show hasn't been heard of since. I have no recollection of it at all, which is a bit too common with things based on things that already exist.

Blithe Spirit

Blithe Spirit, Gielgud Theatre, 2014.

Cast: Patsy Ferran, Janie Dee, Charles Edwards, Simon Jones, Serena Evans, Angela Lansbury, Jemima Roper.

Writer: Noel Coward

Director: Michael Blackmore

A play I never wanted to see again because Madame Arcati is just an excuse for overacting but how could I miss the chance to see Dame Angela? As it happened it was the only time I saw her on stage, and yes she did overact, and even got a round of applause just for walking onto the stage. I remember Jemima Roper being especially good as the dead wife. Patsy Ferran has gone on to greater things. 

Travels with my Aunt

Travels with my Aunt, Chichester Minerva Theatre, 2016.

Cast: Jack Chissick, Steven Pacey, Patricia Hodge, Hugh Maynard, Jonathan Dryden Taylor, Haley Flaherty, Sebastien Torkia, Stephanie Bron, Michael Duke, Nicholas Duncan, Sarah Earnshaw, Rachel Grundy, Abiola Ogunbiyi, Jack Wilcox.

Book: Ron Cowen & Daniel Lipman

Music: George Stiles

Lyrics: Anthony Drewe

Director: Christopher Luscombe

I expect this was well done as everything at Chichester usually is, and Patricia Hodge is hardly going to disappoint. I'm fairly certain I had a front row seat and there was lots going on. It's a nice idea for a show but it's something else destined to be performed once and forgotten about I'm afraid. 

Toast

 

Toast, Norwich Theatre Royal, 2016. 

Cast: Steve Nicholson, Will Barton, Simon Greenall, Matt Sutton, Matthew Kelly, Kieran Knowles, John Wark.

Writer: Richard Bean

Director: Eleanor Rhode

I've seen Matthew Kelly on stage more times than I might have expected to and he might have been one of the reasons for going to this, along with the fact it was written by the man who also wrote One Man, Two Guvnors. I remember nothing about it but assume it was set in a bakery and was about an unlikely group of men getting along.

Hangmen

 

Hangmen, Wyndham's Theatre, 2016.

Cast: Josef Davies, James Dryden, Johnny Flynn, Tony Hirst, John Hodgkinson, Bronwyn James, David Morrissey, Andy Nyman, Craig Parkinson, Ryan Pope, Sally Rogers, Mark Rose, Simon Rouse.

Writer: Martin McDonagh

Director: Matthew Dunster

Oh how I hated this! I bought a cheap ticket for it in a new year sale and ended up in a flip up seat in the back roll of the upper circle, which wasn't the problem. I was looking forward to seeing David Morrissey. But I hated the play. Turns out I only like Martin McDonagh's films - I won't be troubling myself with his plays again.

Singin' in the Rain

Singin' in the Rain, Norwich Theatre Royal, 2014.

Cast: James Leece, Amy Ellen Richardson, Stephanie Anelli, Maxwell Caulfield, Vicky Binns, Jacqueline Clarke, Paul Grunert, Luke Dowling, Jenny Legg, Kim Strommen, Abigail Brodie, Adam Denman, Rebecca Fennelly, Olivia Fines, Lauren Hall, Aimee Hodnett, Nia Jermin, Sammy Kelly, Joshua Lovell, Matthew Malthouse, Phil Marriott, Tom PArtridge, Tom Woods, Albey Brookes, Matt Crandon, Lucy James, Soeli Parry.

Screenplay: Betty Comden and Adolph Green

Songs: Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed

Director: Jonathan Church

Another appearance by Maxwell Caulfield I'd completely forgotten And the man playing the lead is unknown to me. Of course I enjoyed this - it's based on one of the best films ever made and replicating it on stage is a triumph.

 

Strangers on a Train

Strangers on a Train, Gielgud Theatre, 2014.

Cast: Laurence Fox, Jack Huston, Myanna Buring, Imogen Stubbs, Miranda Raison, Alastair Natkiel, Tam Williams, Tim Ahern, Nick Malinowski, Christian McKay, Luke Beattie, Scott Sparrow, Matt Andrews, Antony Jardine, Anna O'Byrne, Pippa Winslow.

Writer: Craig Warner

Director: Robert Allan Ackerman

The second appearance of Laurence Fox - oh God! A friend got front row seats for this which might have been slightly closer than I'd like. They were also doing an acting course so they had lots more opinions than me. I think it was cleverly staged and looked great, and I'm sure I enjoyed it.

 

And Then There Were None

And Then There Were None, Cambridge Arts Theatre, 2015.

Cast: Neil Stacey, Colin Buchanan, Deborah Grant, Mark Curry, Kezia Burrows, Frazer Hines, Ben Nealon, Eric Carte, Judith Rae, Tom McCarron, Jan Knightley.

Writer: Agatha Christie

Director: Joe Harmston

Probably her best book. I've seen this again since then and would happily see it again. One set works well as it ramps up the claustrophobia of an island. Fraser Hines from Emmerdale! It turns out this was the last production of The Agatha Christie Theatre Company because I guess at that point she was so popular everyone was doing her stuff.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Apollo Theatre, 2013.

Cast: Mike Noble, Rakie Ayola, Trevor Fox, Amanda Drew, Gay Soper, Golda Rosheuvel, Daniel Casey, Paul Stocker, Jo Dockery, Patrick Driver.

Adapted by Simon Stephens from the book by Mark Haddon

Director: Marianne Elliott

This was the first time I saw this play in a theatre although I had seen it in the cinema as an NT Live before. I've seen it at least twice since then and will go every time it tours - it's one of the best things I've ever seen in the theatre - a really good story brilliantly told. There's a lot of innovation in the staging but never at the expense of the human bit of it all. Properly amazing.

 

Jumpers for Goalposts

Jumpers for Goalposts, Bush Theatre, 2013.

Cast: Philip Duguid-McQuillan, Vivienne Gibbs, Andy Rush, Jamie Samuel, Matt Sutton.

Writer: Tom Wells

Director: James Grieve

This was the reason for my first visit to the Bush Theatre, a place I'm keen to go back to whenever they have something interesting on. It's a play about a gay football team and while I might not be interested in football I am interested in gay stuff. I remember loving this and have seen one of Tom's other plays since then. He's vanished from social media which is a real shame as I found him really interesting. I hope there will be more plays.

People

People, Theatre Royal Norwich, 2013.

Cast: Paul Moriarty, Sian Phillips, Simon Bubb, Brigit Forsyth, Selina Cadell, Michael Thomas, Robin Bowerman, Ieuan Rhys, Endy McKay, Danny Burns, Adrian McLoughlin, Alexander Warner, Ellie Burrow, Alan Booty, Clare Clifford, Andrew Coppin, Anneli Page, Tamara Ustinov.

Writer: Alan Bennett

Director: Nicholas Hytner/Drew Mulligan

Not on obvious play to tour but I guess at this point Bennett was hugely in demand. Not my favourite of his plays.

Barnum

Barnum, Norwich Theatre Royal, 2015.

Cast: Brian Conley, Linzi Hateley, Kimberly Blake, Landi Oshinowo, Mikey Jay-Heath, John Stacey, Georgie Ashford, Greg Bernstein, David Birch, Courtney-Mae Briggs, Nick Butcher, Alison Connell, stefan Dermendjiev, Silvia Dopazo, Chris Gage, Joanna Goodwin, Pascal Haering, Rebecca Hawkins, Erin Jameson, Jennifer Robinson, Louis Stockil, Lucy Thatcher, Edward Wade.

Music: Cy Coleman

Lyrics: Michael Stewart

Book: Mark Bramble

Director: Jean-Pierre van der Spuy

I imagine this was quite spectacular but none of the songs ring any bells with me and certainly haven't become standards. I wondered if it might have existed on the back of The Greatest Showman but that didn't come out until 2017 so clearly not. I do muddle Brian Conley with him that was in Dr Who and now does Gladiators.

A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol, Noel Coward Theatre, 2015.

Cast: Jim Broadbent, Adeel Akhtar, Amelia Bullmore, Keir Charles, Samantha Spiro, Jack Parker, Kim Scopes.

Writer: Patrick Barlow

Director: Phelim McDermott

A friend wanted to see this, thinking it would be a nice thing to do for Christmas, and I'm sure I enjoyed it. But I don't think that Christmas needs specific shows apart from panto. Maybe instead treat yourself to something you've wanted to see all year? I imagine this will be the only time I get to see Jim Broadbent on stage.

 

Henry V

Henry V, Noel Coward Theatre, 2014.

Cast: Harry Attwell, Jason Baughan, Norman Bowman, Jessie Buckley, Richard Clifford, Ron Cook, Ian Drysdale, Noma Dumezweni, Michael Hadley, Edward Harrison, Christopher Heyward, Fred Lancaster, James Laurenson, Jude Law, Ben Lloyd-Hughes, Rhys Meredith, Prasanna Puwanarajah, Maddie Rice, Matt Ryan, Ashley Zhangazha.

Writer: William Shakespeare

Director: Michael Grandage

This was the last of Michael's season at the Noel Coward Theatre and I ended up seeing them all although I hadn't originally intended to. I think this might have been on the list of ones I didn't want to see, perhaps because Jude Law wasn't far enough away from the 90 Britpop gossip that he was associated with. I think I'd misjudged him and liked him more than I expected, although I remember nothing about the production. Interesting to see Jessie Buckley in the cast before she became as famous as she is now. Michael is back in the West End now with Ewan McGregor and I was vaguely tempted to go despite it being Ibsen (or Chekhov?) but this week's three star reviews have put me off.